Assisting a user in arriving at a destination in time

Abstract

To allow a user to select a route to the destination himself, an exemplary embodiment relates to a method for assisting a user in arriving at a destination point within a time limit. The exemplary method comprises receiving a determined position and the destination point. The exemplary method also comprises estimating an accessible geographic area which can be traversed by the user with a predetermined speed before reaching the destination within the time limit, when starting from the determined position. The exemplary method additionally comprises providing information on the estimated accessible area for presentation to the user. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a computer program and a system for executing the method.

1 . A method for assisting a user in arriving at a destination point within a time limit, the method comprising:
 receiving a starting position and the destination point;   estimating an accessible geographic area which can be traversed by the user with a predetermined speed before reaching the destination within the time limit, when starting from the starting position; and   providing information on the estimated accessible area for presentation to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the destination point and the time limit are specified by the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising estimating the accessible area based on an average speed, the average speed being determined based on a means of transportation of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the accessible area includes a plurality of marking points selected from a predetermined set of marking points on roads in a road network, a contour of the accessible area being determined at least partly based on predetermined areas around the marking points. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein after having specified the time limit and the destination point, the accessible area is updated at predetermined time intervals based on an updated position and/or a remaining portion of the time limit. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising detecting the starting position and/or the updated position with a position determination unit. 
     
     
         7 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising marking the estimated accessible area in a depiction of a map. 
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 1 , comprising comparing a determined position with the accessible area, and giving an indication when the determined position is outside of that accessible area. 
     
     
         9 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the estimation of the accessible area is determined based on an intersection of at least two intermediate areas, a first intermediate area being determined based on a boundary which can be reached from the starting position or an updated position as a starting point by the end of the time limit when moving with the average speed and the second intermediate area being determined based on a boundary which can be reached from the destination point as starting point by the end of the time limit when moving with the average speed. 
     
     
         10 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of routes from the determined position or an updated position to the destination point is calculated, the routes being traversable within the time limit, and wherein the area is determined such that it includes the routes and an area between the routes. 
     
     
         11 . A tangible, computer-readable storage medium, comprising code configured to direct a processing unit to:
 receive a starting position and a destination point;   estimate an accessible geographic area which can be traversed by a user with a predetermined speed before reaching the destination within the time limit, when starting from the starting position; and   provide information on the estimated accessible area for presentation to the user.   
     
     
         12 . A system for assisting a user in arriving at a destination point within a time limit comprising a processing unit configured to estimate based on a starting position and the destination point an accessible geographic area which can be traversed by the user with a predetermined speed before reaching the destination point within the time limit, when starting from the starting position, and to provide information on the estimated area for presentation to the user. 
     
     
         13 . The system recited in  claim 12 , comprising a navigation device including a position determination unit configured to determine the starting position and at least one output for outputting the information on the estimated area to the user. 
     
     
         14 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the navigation device is a satellite-based navigation device and/or a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is included in a server unit connected to the device, the server unit transmitting the information on the estimated area to the device.